Assemblies of the type to which the invention relates are commonly called locksets and are typically secured to internal doors of a building or the like. The lockset may include opposed knobs, handles or consist of a knob on one side of the door and a handle on the other. In one earlier proposal the knob-or handle was fixed to a plate or rose for rotation relative thereto and the handles were fixed to each other and to opposite sides of the door by a pair of screws which projected through the roses and through the door. Such a fixing arrangement was not aesthetically pleasing since the heads of the screws were visible externally of each of the roses. For cupboard doors a handle or knob on one side only was required.
In another earlier proposal a concealed fixing arrangement was employed. In that proposal the handles or knobs were fixed to respective roses for rotation thereto and a mounting plate was fixed to each side of the door by screws extending through the mounting plates and the door. The rose was then fixable to the mounting plate by screw threaded engagement therewith. It was typical for the mounting plate to be made of diecast or similar material and have an upstanding spigot with an external screw thread. The rose was provided with a spigot having a corresponding internal screw thread. The screw mounting was tedious to achieve and, if care was not taken cross threading could easily result and because of the nature of the materials involved this could lead to damage of the threads and render the lockset useless.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door knob or handle assembly which at least minimises the disadvantages referred to above.